The Best Arturo Toscanini Recordings

[@williamdirks5805]

Thank you for your video. I'd like to suggest that if you haven't, you read the Harvey Sachs biography of Toscanini. It makes you aware that almost everything we have from him is from the very twilight of his life and career -- and is often very different from his earlier years, being more streamlined and "driven." While you emphasize his "drilled" and "driven" qualities, in the early 1930s he gave one of the slowest performances of Parsifal that had been heard at Bayreuth up to that time. Please sometime focus on his 1940 Missa Solemnis with Jussi Bjorling -- more subtle and yet more powerful than his later 1950s studio recording. One of his greatest surviving performances. Thanks again.

[@GilZilkha]

Yes, that 1940 Missa is already on the list for when we get to the discussion of that work

[@ivanlieramonterrubio7960]

The Schubert 9 symphony with NBC is perhaps the best recording and terrific drive.

[@GilZilkha]

I slightly prefer the 1941 Philadelphia Orch recording, a rare and treasurable partnership. But for the "taut" approach in this work, my preferred choice is Szell/Cleveland.

[@leestamm3187]

​@@GilZilkha The Josef Krips 1958 LSO Schubert Great C Major is a recording for the ages.

[@steveluciani]

Don't forget Toscanini's 1952 Brahms cycle with the Philharmonia Orchestra. All lyrical performances, and among the best Brahms symphony recordings of all time, IMHO. Splendid sounding restorations can be found here: www.youtube.com/@RS3DArchive/search?query=%22toscanini%20and%20the%20Philharmonia%22

[@leestamm3187]

Good call. Some of his best late era stuff.

[@leestamm3187]

For Toscanini, I lean more toward his pre-war recordings, which show what I think is a generally more expressive interpretive style. While I do like many of his late era performances, to my ear his overall approach became overly rigid compared to his earlier work. Also, the desiccated, bone dry acoustics of his Studio 8H recordings make them less enjoyable for me than those he recorded at other venues. BTW, his "Pines of Rome" is good, but I think the Reiner/CSO recording clearly stands alone.

[@Mark-jl2qe]

His final concert IS in stero. An all Wagner program.

[@garethwilliams976]

Great and I cavil at only one choice which is the Horowitz/Toscanini Tchaikovsky which I sadly now dislike intensely. All it has going for it is excitement. Horowits was a master pianist but a gentle soul and this performance is wholly about his father in law with Horowitz beautiful lyricism totally obliterated. I am sure you are aware of his live recording with Barbirolli where the pianist is given his head and the orchestral accompaniment becomes just that. Sadl poor sound but a great performance which the Toscanini is not.